Automatic paraffin cutter



April 1953 J. H. WILLIAMS 2,636,565

AUTOMATIC PARAFFIN CUTTER Filed Dec. 8, 1950 2 SHEETS-SHEET l illuunvulllln 1,..',,,,,,,,.. "1,111! 1,111 110 "I.

I //I/j/ 520 -29 Fig.4

I I 25 I 28 John H. Williams INVEN TOR.

A [lame ApriFZS, 1953 J. H. WILLIAMS AUTOMATIC; PARAFFIN CUTTER 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 3 5 6 m 0 M J4 F .U E q \fi m W 2 5 4 I 2 2 6 H 7 2 n 2 M E J a a. w '76 Z .0 l 9 F m m w w, M 4 V! V k a-\\\ \I 7 /n u 2 Filed Dec. 8, 1950 Patented Apr. 28, 1953 6 UNITED STATES- PATENT OFFICE V 2,636,565 in AUTOMATIC PARAFFIN CUTTER John H. Williams, Opelousas, La. Application December 8, 1956, Serial No. 199,787

The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in paramn cutters for usein oil wells or for use as a tubing cleaner in other types of flowing wells.

An important object of the inventionis to provide an improved device for removing parafiin and including a scraper continuously operated by the flow of the well fluid from top to bottom of the well and without necessitating cutting 011 the flow. r

Another object is to provide a novel by-pass tube construction for the fluid and on which a scraper and tube lifting packing cup are supported and wherein the tube is automatically closed for raising the scraper by flow of the fluid and opened to by-pass the fluid and permitting the scraper to lower by gravitation.

i A further object is to provide a device of this character of simple and practical construction, which is efiicient and reliable in operation, relatively inexpensive to manufacture and otherwise well adapted for the purposes for which the same is intended.

Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings formin part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout. and in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of a we tubing showing the scraper therein;

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view of the by-pass tube shown in open position;

Figure 3 is an enlarged side elevational view of the scraping element with parts shown in section;

Figure 4 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of the packing cup;

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view taken on a line 5-5 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a transverse sectional view taken on a line 6-6 of Figure 3;

Figure '7 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of the lower tube showing the by-pass cutoff valve; and,

Figure 8 is a group elevational view of the packing cup.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, wherein for the purpose of illustration I have disclosed a preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral 5 designates an upper tube in which a lower tube 6 is slidable. Registrable vertical slots 1 and 8 are formed in the sides of the upper and lower tubes to form by-pass ports and stop 3 Claims. (01. 166-.18)

pins 9-are carried transversely of lower tube 6 about its slots and are movable vertically in the slots 1 of the upper tube to hold the slots in open or closed position.

The upper end of upper tube 5 is closed by a cap 16 having a frusto-conical head ll rising therefrom and lower tube 6 slides upwardly and downwardly in the lower end of the upper tube. The lower end of upper tube- 5 is externally threaded'and'on which is secured an expansible rubber packing cup l2 by upper and lower nuts l3 and M. The cup l2 is substantially bell-shape and is formed with external vertical grooves 15 in which resilient guide rods 16 are seated. Recesses H are formed in the cup at the upper ends of the grooves to receive inwardly projecting upper ends 18 on the rods. The upper ends of the rods are held engaged in the grooves and recesses by a cap l9 under upper nut 13. A ring 26 unites the lower ends of the rods.

A scraper designated generally at 2| is attached to lower tube 6- and comprises an upper collar 22 fixed to the tube 6 and to which a plurality of resilient vertical metal straps 23 are welded or otherwise suitably, secured at their upper ends. The straps 23 are arcuate with outwardly curved central portions and. are welded or otherwise suitably secured at their lower ends to a sliding collar 24 surrounding tube 6. Arcuate scraper blades 25 are welded at their central portions in a' horizontal position. to the central portion of straps 23 and with the ends of the blades overlapping to form a complete circular expansible scraper.

A valve 26 closes the lower end of lower tube 6 and is provided with a valve stem 21 sliding in guides 28 secured in the tube, the stem extending vertically in the upper and lower tubes and is slidable at its upper end in cap l0 and head H to project outwardly of the latter. A head 21a is formed on the upper end of stem 21 to limit downward movement of valve 26.

In the operation of the device, the upper and lower tubes 5 and 6, with the packing I2 and scraper 2| carried thereby are free to move upwardly and downwardly in the well tubing 29. The device moves downwardly by gravity and lower tube 6 moves slower due to friction of the scraper blades with the walls of the well tubing and accordingly upper tube 5 slides downwardly on lower tube 6 to open the by-pass openings 1 and 8 and fluid in the well is permitted to flow upwardly through the tubes 5 and 6 and out through the openings 1 and 8 as the device drops in the well tubing.

Upon striking the bottom of the well, valve or closure 26 is forced upwardly to close lower tube 6 and the upward now in the well then expands packing l2 to first lift the upper tube which closes openings 1 and 8 and pins 9 then pick up lower tube 6 and scraper 2| to move the same upwardly with tube 5.

During this upward movement the weight of valve 26 will cause the valve to open while bypass openings remain closed to prevent bypassing the fluid through the tubes and when head H strikes the topof the well the sudden arresting of the upward movement of upper tube 5 will cause the further upward-movement of. lower tube 6 by its inertia and thus again open the openings l and 8 to again bypass the fluid and permit the device to. again drop downwardly to repeat the cycle.

In view of the foregoing description taken; in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, it is believed that. a clear understanding. oi the; device will be quite apparent to those skilled in this art. A more detailed description is accordingly deemed unnecessary.

It is. to be understood however that even though there is herein shown and described. a preferred embodiment of the invention the. sameis susceptible tocertain changes fully comprehended by the spirit oi the invention as herein described and the scope: of the, appended claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A parafiin cleaner for well tubing comprising an upper tube having a closed upper end and a lower tube slidable in the lower end of the upper tube and having an open lower end, an expansible and contractible packing carried by the upper tube and responsive to upward flow of liquid in the well to. move said lower tube upwardly, said tubes gravitating in. a. lowering lower tube normally held in open position by gravity and moved into closed position by contact thereof with. the bottom of the well, and a scraper carried by the lower tube in scraping pass openings by the resulting inertia of the lower tube.

2,. A paraflin cleaner ilor well tubing comprising an upper gravity-actuated tube closed at its top and a lower gravity-actuated tube slidable in the lower end of the upper tube, means carried. by the upper tube responsive to flow of the well to lift the tubes, registering by-pass openings the sides of the tubes to by-pass liquid to a point above said means, a stop carried' by one of the tubes, means on the other of the tubes engaging the stops at longitudinally spaced points and coupling the tubes to each other for limited relative movement and holding the tubes in position with. the openings either open or closed, closure means at the lower and of the lower tube normally held open by gravity action andclosed by contact thcreot with the bottom ot the well upon. a descending movement at the tubes, and a scraper carried.- by the.- lower tube-., said soraperirictionally engaging the tubing to retard movement at the lower tube relattive to the upper tube to open the by-pass. open-.- ings upon an initial descending movement oi the upper tubeand to close the bit-pass openings upon an initial ascending. movement of the. upper tube.

The combination. oi claim. 2-. wherein said scraper comprises a plurality 01 vertical resilient bow-shaped members fixed at one end. to: the lower tube, an annular member connecting the other ends of said bowshaped members to each other and free. to more longitudinally of said lower tube, and arcuate. scraper blades carried horizontally by said bow-shaped. members and overlapping each other at each end portion.

JOHN H.

References Cited. in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

